Need Cigar Advice

All-

I’m not a cigar smoker, and know nothing about them. Ironically, I have to pick up 100 cigars for a golf tournament I’m running tomorrow. What kind of cost should I be looking at for average cigars? I was thinking of picking up some Cao’s for around $450,they had a special running, but I was not sure if they were decent, if that was too much, etc.

Thanks for any advice.

I quit smoking a long time ago, but I’ve heard that Nicaraguan cigars are grown with the same type of tobacco in the same type of soil as Cubans but at a much lower price.
What that price will actually be at 100 cigars, I don’t know.

My advice would be to find a good Cigar shop in the area. Talk to the owner for a bit and you can usually get good advice without them trying to steer you towards the expensive ones (especially because they’re already gonna make some cash from you buying 100).

If I were you, I’d recommend getting:

40 Light Cigars
40 Medium Cigars
20 Heavy Cigars

That will give you a decent selection and the people who are “snobbiest” about the type of cigars they smoke will be satisfied (especially the heavy guys, most people don’t get them for big things like this).

45/45/10 might also be an acceptable ratio.

Does anybody ever get a craving for a nice, expensive cigar…go out and buy it, and after smoking about 1/3rd of it wonder “why the hell did I ever get a craving for this?”. My hands stink, my clothes stink, I get mild nausea from the buccal absorption of nicotene, and there’s still 2/3rds to go! Maybe it’s just me.

To the OP, I’ve heard Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars are as good or better than most Cubans, at a fraction of the cost.

I agree with samdan you will need to buy a split of mild/medium/full-bodied. And you probably don’t want too many full-bodied smokes. My two full-bodied recommendations right now are

Joya de Nicaragua Antano: Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 - CIGAR.com
6 x 54 or 5.5 x 52

Tatuaje Havana VI: Tatuaje Havana VI Cigars | Available at CIGAR.com
6.2 x 52

Can’t give you any help on the mild/medium.

Cohiba. They’ll satisfy everyone. Good luck getting them.

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Does anybody ever get a craving for a nice, expensive cigar…go out and buy it, and after smoking about 1/3rd of it wonder “why the hell did I ever get a craving for this?”. My hands stink, my clothes stink, I get mild nausea from the buccal absorption of nicotene, and there’s still 2/3rds to go! Maybe it’s just me.

To the OP, I’ve heard Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars are as good or better than most Cubans, at a fraction of the cost.[/quote]

I don’t buy expensive cigars, I buy great cigars usually while traveling and put them in my humidor.

I got a good deal last time I was in the Dominican Republic, five 25 bundles for $7 each.

[quote]Mad HORSE wrote:
Cohiba. They’ll satisfy everyone. Good luck getting them.[/quote]

They have those everywhere, now.

PhilliesBlunt, then tell them all to piss off after sinking their putts on the 18th and dropping $120 into the “donation” bucket.

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Does anybody ever get a craving for a nice, expensive cigar…go out and buy it, and after smoking about 1/3rd of it wonder “why the hell did I ever get a craving for this?”. My hands stink, my clothes stink, I get mild nausea from the buccal absorption of nicotene, and there’s still 2/3rds to go! Maybe it’s just me.

To the OP, I’ve heard Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars are as good or better than most Cubans, at a fraction of the cost.[/quote]

I don’t buy expensive cigars, I buy great cigars usually while traveling and put them in my humidor.

I got a good deal last time I was in the Dominican Republic, five 25 bundles for $7 each.[/quote]

I’m heading there this August. What did you pick up? Last year I was there I picked up ____ (I’m drawing a huge blank, its on the tip of my tongue. White package all I can say). Anyways, how are the ones you grabbed? I have a box of monte cristos and romeo’s i have to finish first

[quote]Rico Suave wrote:

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Does anybody ever get a craving for a nice, expensive cigar…go out and buy it, and after smoking about 1/3rd of it wonder “why the hell did I ever get a craving for this?”. My hands stink, my clothes stink, I get mild nausea from the buccal absorption of nicotene, and there’s still 2/3rds to go! Maybe it’s just me.

To the OP, I’ve heard Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars are as good or better than most Cubans, at a fraction of the cost.[/quote]

I don’t buy expensive cigars, I buy great cigars usually while traveling and put them in my humidor.

I got a good deal last time I was in the Dominican Republic, five 25 bundles for $7 each.[/quote]

I’m heading there this August. What did you pick up? Last year I was there I picked up ____ (I’m drawing a huge blank, its on the tip of my tongue. White package all I can say). Anyways, how are the ones you grabbed? I have a box of monte cristos and romeo’s i have to finish first[/quote]

Arturo
Ashton
CAO

Are these people cigar smokers?

If they’re cigar smokers, you can’t go wrong with Ashtons (available in many sizes, wraps, etc.).

If they’re not cigar smokers, they’ll still enjoy smoking Acid Kubas. You can get a box of 24 of these for about $140 and non cigar smokers will all love them. Hell, I’m a cigar smoker and I like 'em, too. Some snobby cigar smokers don’t like them, though.

Fuente Opus X…for the heavy smokes.

Rocky Patel vintage series have become one of my favorite smokes altogether.

CAO and Oliva are my other favorites. Ive smoked alot in my day.

[quote]666Rich wrote:
Fuente Opus X…for the heavy smokes.

Rocky Patel vintage series have become one of my favorite smokes altogether.

CAO and Oliva are my other favorites. Ive smoked alot in my day.[/quote]

Damn those Fuente OpusX are pricey. I will have to try one. I just bought a box of Don Pepin Garcias I gotta finish off though.

The OpusX are good - not sure they are worth the price though, I need a rematch.

stay away from the cuban stuff - you’re paying for the name, I do agree with the guys that Nicaraguan are good.

Another safe bet is anything from Davidoff…besides I agree with Zino - “if your wife doesn’t like the aroma of your cigars, get a new wife”

I’ve smoked several cuban cigars and I have to say, I really didn’t notice a difference.

I think, at one point, cigars weren’t all rolled as well as cubans but these days I feel the difference is negligible.

You can never go wrong with Itsaboy’s.

Mitch Hedberg